大学池塘里发现真菌新品种
文章来源:未知 文章作者:enread 发布时间:2011-05-12 06:29 字体: [ ]  进入论坛
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)

 

Researchers at the University of Exeter have uncovered a 'missing link' in the fungal(=fungus,真菌的) tree of life after analysing samples taken from the university's pond. Their study, published today [11 May] in Nature, explains the discovery of a hitherto(迄今,到目前为止) unknown type of fungi1 which has fundamentally expanded the scientific understanding of this group of organisms.

Fungi are hugely important as they interact with plants and animals, and are the primary way in which biomass生化悬浮物), such as dead plants or animals, are broken down and recycled.

Dr Tom Richards, from the University of Exeter's Biosciences department and the Natural History Museum London, said: "This study has been very surprising – not least because the original sample came from the nearby pond. Fungi have been well studied for 150 years and it was thought we had a good understanding of the major evolutionary2 groups, but these findings have changed that radically3.

"Current understanding of fungal diversity turns out to be only half the story – we've discovered this diverse and deep evolutionary branch in fungi that has remained hidden all this time."

The researchers have temporarily named the new group cryptomycota – which is Greek for 'hidden fungi'.

Cryptomycota changes the understanding of the whole fungi group because it lacks something which was previously4 considered essential for the classification – a tough cell wall which is important for how fungi feed and grow.

These results may suggest cryptomycota represents an intermediate state or a 'living fossil'. Despite lacking the tough cell wall, they seem still to be very successful in the environment because of their extensive diversity and cosmopolitan5 distribution.

Dr Meredith Jones, also of the University of Exeter and the Natural History Museum London, found the microbes. She said: "While the first sample used in our investigation6 was taken from the university pond, cryptomycota are present in samples taken from all over the world. The huge genetic7 diversity and prevalence of this group leads us to believe they probably play an important role in a range of environmental processes.

"It is possible there are many different forms of this organism with a range of characteristics we don't even know about yet. There is a lot more research to be done to find establish how they feed, reproduce, grow, and their importance in natural ecosystems8."

This study is the result of new efforts to try to understand the diversity of life on Earth by taking DNA9 sampling out into the field.

Until recent years, researchers investigating microbial diversity have sampled by growing microbes in lab cultures, but now it seems that the vast majority of life forms are never captured using these methods – meaning most of the evolutionary complexity10 of life remains11 unsampled.

Researchers are getting around this by sampling the DNA in the environment, which is leading to a series of new discoveries about microbial diversity and the complexity of life on Earth.

In this study, the researchers noticed an unusual group of DNA sequence in samples from the pond on the University of Exeter's Streatham Campus. They then illuminated12 the cells of the cryptomycota using a fluorescent13(荧光的,发光的) probe and were able for the first time to observe these hitherto hidden fungi.

 



点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 fungi 6hRx6     
n.真菌,霉菌
参考例句:
  • Students practice to apply the study of genetics to multicellular plants and fungi.学生们练习把基因学应用到多细胞植物和真菌中。
  • The lawn was covered with fungi.草地上到处都是蘑菇。
2 evolutionary Ctqz7m     
adj.进化的;演化的,演变的;[生]进化论的
参考例句:
  • Life has its own evolutionary process.生命有其自身的进化过程。
  • These are fascinating questions to be resolved by the evolutionary studies of plants.这些十分吸引人的问题将在研究植物进化过程中得以解决。
3 radically ITQxu     
ad.根本地,本质地
参考例句:
  • I think we may have to rethink our policies fairly radically. 我认为我们可能要对我们的政策进行根本的反思。
  • The health service must be radically reformed. 公共医疗卫生服务必须进行彻底改革。
4 previously bkzzzC     
adv.以前,先前(地)
参考例句:
  • The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
  • Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿,解释原先发生了什么。
5 cosmopolitan BzRxj     
adj.世界性的,全世界的,四海为家的,全球的
参考例句:
  • New York is a highly cosmopolitan city.纽约是一个高度世界性的城市。
  • She has a very cosmopolitan outlook on life.她有四海一家的人生观。
6 investigation MRKzq     
n.调查,调查研究
参考例句:
  • In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
  • He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。
7 genetic PgIxp     
adj.遗传的,遗传学的
参考例句:
  • It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
  • Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。
8 ecosystems 94cb0e40a815bea1157ac8aab9a5380d     
n.生态系统( ecosystem的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • There are highly sensitive and delicately balanced ecosystems in the forest. 森林里有高度敏感、灵敏平衡的各种生态系统。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Madagascar's ecosystems range from rainforest to semi-desert. 马达加斯加生态系统类型多样,从雨林到半荒漠等不一而足。 来自辞典例句
9 DNA 4u3z1l     
(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸
参考例句:
  • DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
  • Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。
10 complexity KO9z3     
n.复杂(性),复杂的事物
参考例句:
  • Only now did he understand the full complexity of the problem.直到现在他才明白这一问题的全部复杂性。
  • The complexity of the road map puzzled me.错综复杂的公路图把我搞糊涂了。
11 remains 1kMzTy     
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹
参考例句:
  • He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
  • The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
12 illuminated 98b351e9bc282af85e83e767e5ec76b8     
adj.被照明的;受启迪的
参考例句:
  • Floodlights illuminated the stadium. 泛光灯照亮了体育场。
  • the illuminated city at night 夜幕中万家灯火的城市
13 fluorescent Zz2y3     
adj.荧光的,发出荧光的
参考例句:
  • They observed the deflections of the particles by allowing them to fall on a fluorescent screen.他们让粒子落在荧光屏上以观察他们的偏移。
  • This fluorescent lighting certainly gives the food a peculiar color.这萤光灯当然增添了食物特别的色彩。
发表评论
请自觉遵守互联网相关的政策法规,严禁发布色情、暴力、反动的言论。
评价:
表情:
验证码:点击我更换图片